Criminal law understandably does not condone abuse and battery. Assault is a criminal offense that is punishable under New York law statutes. This is especially true when it is against an officer of the law. A man was recently arrested after an early morning fight broke out outside a restaurant in Brooklyn and now he may need criminal defense for his upcoming court dates.
An altercation took place between the man arrested and a New York cop who was out with his wife. The fight was apparently over a verbal dispute that had taken place earlier that night at a nearby club. The two men allegedly engaged in physical contact that ended with the officer unconscious in the street and the alleged offender in handcuffs shortly after.
After the assault, the man allegedly ran but was later apprehended by the responding officers. The man claimed that he was unaware that the guy he fought was a cop and admitted to the assault after his arrest. The cop was placed into a medically induced coma after being rushed to the hospital for his injuries sustained from the fight.
Even if the man was unaware that he was assaulting an officer of the law and he admitted to the actions, he will still have to go to a court hearing. The state of New York allows any alleged crime to be heard in a court and allows the verdict to be determined by a jury of peers. It is important for accused individuals to watch what they say after apprehension and know their rights; doing so can go a long way toward achieving a stronger criminal defense.
Source: New York Daily News, Off-duty NYPD cop in serious condition after thug beats him while unconscious then targets terrified wife, Mark Morales, Nov. 17, 2013
